Sheepvention roundup

Both Merino grand champion ribbons went to the stud, which last month won the National Pair of the Year title at Bendigo with the same ram and ewe team.

Stud principal John Crawford, Victoria Valley, decided to attend Sheepvention at the suggestion of his children Nicole and Sam, who wanted to show their sheep locally.

"I think it was worth it. The competition was of a good quality and the show was well run," he said.

Overall the Wool Shed bustled with 170 Merino exhibits along with the 390 rams penned for inspection before going under the hammer in Tuesday's sale.

Show organisers said Merino numbers were slightly up on last year's, along with the 20,000-strong attendance figures.

Rock-Bank's Big Bessie made a strong impression on superfine judge Alan McCormack, Walwa, Gurrundah, NSW, from the outset.

Her structure and immense fleece coverage eventually saw the rising four-tooth edge out a Wurrook ewe for superfine champion.

Click image below to see Sheepvention Ram Shed gallery.

She then continued the momentum, wooing judges in the grand champion line up – which included ewes from Wurrook, Koole Vale, Oak Bank, Mount Yulong and Orrie Cowie – to win the inaugural Australian Supreme Champion Merino Ewe trophy

Rock-Bank's grand champions were both sired by Tim, who Mr Crawford said was from the purple-tag family within the stud, and was bred from a Merryville ram the stud purchased for $20,000.

The ram's offspring had so far been characterised by their scale, staple length and wool quality, Mr Crawford said.

This year was only the second time Tim's progeny had been shown and offered at Rock-Bank's on-property sale, after the ram sustained an injury while at the artificial insemination centre three years ago.

The first drop of Tim's progeny sold to a record $12,000 and averaged close to $7000 at Rock-Bank's sale in 2012.

The stud wouldn't be carrying out an embryo transfer program with Big Bessie and another top-performing superfine ram; instead she would be joined within the purple tag family, Mr Crawford said.

"We could flush them to a heap of different rams and try to breed a blue ribbon, but there's more to life than blue ribbons … I think it's better to produce something that's going to be consistent and commercially productive."

The fleece coverage was noted by judges on both Rock-Bank's champions, with Big Bessie measuring in at 16.4-micron, 2.4 standard deviation, 14.6 co-efficient of variation and comfort factor of 99.9 per cent.

The ram, which cut 13.5 kilograms on last shearing, had fleece measurements of 18.5M, 2.5SD, 13.5CV and a 99.8pc CF.

"We went for the Rock-Bank sheep ram because of that elite-type wool, enormous staple length; and for a fine wool he's a big sheep, and well put together," fine wool judge Michael Collins, Mt Bute, Linton, said on judging the ram champion over Koole Vale by a small margin.

MERINO CHAMPIONS

Grand champion Merino ram: Rock-Bank, Victoria Valley

Grand champion Merino ewe: Rock-Bank

Most successful exhibitor: Coryule

Grand champion ultrafine ram: Rock-Bank. Res: Beverley, Redesdale

Grand champion ultrafine ewe: Beverley. Res: Glenara, Dunkeld

Champion superfine ram unhoused: Poplars, Murgheboluc. Res: Beverley

Champion superfine ewe unhoused: Mt Challicum, Ballygoran

Champion superfine ram open: Demondrille, Harden, NSW. Res: Beverley

Grand champion superfine ram: Demondrille. Res: Beverley

Grand champion superfine ewe: Rock-Bank. Res: Wurrook, Rokewood

Champion restricted fine wool ram: Coryule, Willowvale

Champion restricted fine wool ewe: Coryule

Champion unhoused fine wool ram: Poplars

Champion unhoused fine wool ewe: Poplars. Res: The Fringe, Briagolong

Champion open fine wool ram: Rock-Bank. Res: Wurrook, Rokewood

Champion open fine wool ewe: Wurrook. Res: Wurrook

Grand champion fine wool ram: Rock-Bank. Res: Wurrook

Grand champion fine wool ewe: Wurrook. Res: Nareeb Nareeb

Champion medium wool ewe restricted: Coryule. Res: Coryule

Champion medium wool ram open: Koole Vale, Costerfield. Res: Radnor, Murray Bridge, SA

Champion medium wool ewe open: Koole Vale. Res: Oakbank, Gre Gre North

Grand champion medium wool ram: Koole Vale. Res: Radnor

Grand champion medium wool ewe: Koole Vale. Res: Oakbank

Grand champion strong wool ram: Koole Vale. Res: Kerrilyn, Dunluce

Grand champion strong wool ewe: Oakbank. Res: Kerrilyn

Champion superfine/fine wool Poll Merino ram: Mount Yulong, Telangatuk East. Res: Nareeb Nareeb

Champion superfine/fine wool Poll Merino ewe: Wurrook. Res: Coryule

Champion medium/strong wool Poll Merino ram: Terrick West, Prairie. Res: Kerrilyn

Champion medium/strong wool Poll Merino ewe: Orrie Cowie, Warooka, SA. Res: Mount Yulong

Champion long wool group of three rams: Mount Yulong

Champion pen of five rams open short wool: One Oak No2, Jerilderie, NSW. Res: Terrick West

Champion pen of five rams open long wool: Langdene, Dunedoo, NSW

Champion Victorian pen of five: Glenpaen, Brimpaen

Champion dual purpose pen of five: DD Dohne, Moama, NSW